MIAMI — Chris Childs, returning from a two-game suspension for his fight with Kobe Bryant last Sunday in L.A., had another eventful night last night.

Childs hit a big 3-pointer to force overtime with

11.9 seconds left in regulation, missed a free throw with six seconds left in OT to keep the Knick lead at two, and played great defense on the Heat’s Tim Hardaway in the last seconds — only to see Hardaway’s Hail Mary trey go in for the Miami win.

Before the game, Childs said he may not file an appeal over his two-game ban without pay and $15,000 fine — as he earlier said he might. But he still was adamant that he got burned by the NBA.

While he wouldn’t say the league coddles the Lakers, Childs hinted that Bryant in particular feels he plays under his own rules.

When asked if the NBA treats the Lakers in a special manner, Childs said, ” All I know is in that situation, I was painted as the villain when I was just defending myself against a guy who thought he could do whatever he wanted to do, like there wasn’t going to be any repercussions. If I had to do it all over again, I don’t know what I would have done.”

Last Tuesday, Childs said he would appeal the NBA ruling that banned him two games, while Bryant — who elbowed Childs in the face coming off a pick — drew one game and a $5,000 fine. But he backed off yesterday, saying, “I don’t know what I’m going to do. I still have time.”

Childs has 20 days from the date of the fight.

“I still don’t feel I was the one instigating,” Childs said. “I just protected myself. When any person gets hit in the face with two elbows, that’s what you do. My incident overshadowed us not playing well against a good team.”

Childs watched the Knicks’ victory in Orlando from the downtown hotel two blocks from the arena but was there to greet teammates as they left the building. Coach Jeff Van Gundy used Rick Brunson as Charlie Ward’s backup at point-guard, deciding against his big backcourt of Latrell Sprewell and Allan Houston.

“I was there in agony,” Childs said. “It’s helpless when you can’t go out and help the team. Now that I’m back, I’ve got to get back in sync and help the team back in the groove we need to be going into the playoffs.”

John Wallace, saying the swelling in his ankle is gone, believes he’ll be ready once he’s eligible to come off injured list for Friday’s game in Toronto. … Entering Miami game, Sprewell and Houston had both gone in scoring funks the previous three games, combining for 23-20-20. Yesterday, they combined for a respectable 42 — Houston going for 23, Sprewell 19. …

Miami’s Bruce Bowen, fast becoming a Knick killer, was 5 for 5 for 13 points. Bowen, whom the Knicks claimed in February only to see him wind up in Miami, hurt the Knicks in last meeting, too. … Asked about the Knicks’ consideration of signing John Starks to a 10-day contract until learning he was still injured, Van Gundy said, “It’s a moot point because he’s not here.”…Van Gundy said before Heat game the Knicks would have to run the table to have chance at overtaking Indiana. “I don’t know if we can but it will be fun to watch,” Van Gundy said.